Information Operations in Counterinsurgency
From Complex Operations Wiki
The IO LLO may often be the decisive LLO. By shaping the information environment, IO make significant contributions to setting conditions for the success of all other LLOs. IO address and manage the public’s expectations by reporting and explaining HN government and counterinsurgent actions. An additional component of information operations in COIN involves the role of air and space information operations.
When effectively used, IO address the subject of root causes that insurgents use to gain support. There are several considerations for information operations LLO.
Information Operations Tasks
Major IO task categories include the following:
- Ensure that IO are synchronized at all levels and nested within the interagency strategic communications operation.
- Identify all the audiences (local, regional, and international), the various news cycles, and how to reach them with the HN government’s message.
- Manage the local populace’s expectations regarding what counterinsurgents can achieve.
- Develop common, multiechelon themes based on and consistent with HN government policies and the operation’s objectives. Sustain unity of the message.
- Coordinate and provide a comprehensive assessment of the information environment, incorporating the activities of all other LLOs.
- Remember actions always speak louder than words—every Soldier and Marine is an integral part of IO communications. IO are executed every day through the actions of firm, fair, professional, and alert Soldiers and Marines on the streets among the populace.
- Work to establish and sustain transparency that helps maintain HN government legitimacy.
IO are tailored to address the concerns of the populace of specific areas. IO should inform the public of successfully completed projects and improvements, including accomplishments in security, infrastructure, essential services, and economic development. This publicity furthers popular acceptance of the HN government’s legitimacy.
Effective IO use consistent themes based on policy, facts, and deeds—not claims or future plans, because these can be thwarted. Themes must be reinforced by actions along all LLOs. Making unsubstantiated claims can undermine the long-term credibility and legitimacy of the HN government. Counterinsurgents should never knowingly commit themselves to an action that cannot be completed. However, to reduce the negative effects of a broken promise, counterinsurgents should publicly address the reasons expectations cannot be met before insurgents can take advantage of them.
Command themes and messages based on policy should be distributed simultaneously or as soon as possible using all available media. Radio, television, newspapers, flyers, billboards, and the Internet are all useful dissemination means. Polling and analysis should be conducted to determine which media allow the widest dissemination of themes to the desired audiences at the local, regional, national, and international levels. IO should point out the insurgency’s propaganda and lies to the local populace. Doing so creates doubt regarding the viability of the insurgents’ short- and long-term intentions among the uncommitted public and the insurgency’s supporters.
Impartiality is a common theme for information activities when there are political, social, and sectarian divisions in the host nation. Counterinsurgents should avoid taking sides, when possible. Perceived favoritism can exacerbate civil strife and make counterinsurgents more desirable targets for sectarian violence. Effective commanders directly engage in a dialog with the media and communicate command themes and messages personally. Commanders often directly engage the local populace and stakeholders through face-to-face meetings, town meetings, and community events highlighting counterinsurgent community improvements. These engagements give commanders additional opportunities to assess their efforts’ effects, address community issues and concerns, and personally dispel misinformation. These events often occur in the civil-military operations center.
Working with the Media
There are several methods for working with the media to facilitate accurate and timely information flow. These include the following:
- Embedded media. Media representatives should be embedded for as long as practicable. Representatives embedded for weeks become better prepared to present informed reports.
- Press conferences. Ideally, these sessions should include the HN media and HN officials. Such events provide opportunities to highlight the accomplishments of counterinsurgents and the HN government.
- Applying resources. Commanders should apply time, effort, and money to establish the proper combination of media outlets and communications to transmit the repetitive themes of HN government accomplishments and insurgent violence against the populace. This might require counterinsurgents to be proactive, alerting the media to news opportunities and perhaps providing transportation or other services to ensure proper coverage. Helping establish effective HN media is another important COIN requirement. A word of caution: the populace and HN media must never perceive that counterinsurgents and HN forces are manipulating the media. Even the slightest appearance of impropriety can undermine the credibility of the COIN force and the host nation.
- Network with media outlets. Successful leaders engage the media, create positive relationships, and help the media tell the story. Operations security must always be maintained; however, security should not be used as an excuse to create a media blackout. In the absence of official information, some media representatives develop stories on their own that may be inaccurate and may not include the COIN force perspective.
See related Information Engagement information from the Stability Operations Field Manual 3-07.
